Chile Earthquake: Emergency Appeal Launched

Chile Earthquake: Emergency Appeal Launched

New Zealand Red Cross has sent NZD $20,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) in response to the International Red Cross emergency appeal for $7,000,000 Swiss francs (NZD $9,351,496).

Funds from the International Red Cross emergency appeal will help provide 15,000 families with relief goods, tents and tarpaulins as well as a field hospital, generators, water and sanitation teams and logistics support over the next six months.

In support of funds from DREF, New Zealand Red Cross has launched a national response fund to support those affected by the earthquake. The Chilean Earthquake Response Fund will support disaster response as well as relief and recovery operations. Generous Kiwis have already donated over $3000 online with cheque totals still being tabulated.

Official figures put the death toll from the earthquake at 796 and it is estimated that two million people have been affected. Strong aftershocks continue to rock the country and the government has declared a state of emergency in six central regions, Maule, Bio Bio, Valparaiso, Metropolitana, Libertador O’Higgins and Araucania.

Chilean Red Cross deployed emergency response teams within four hours of the quake and is now concentrating its efforts to distribute food, hygiene articles and blankets to survivors. Chilean Red Cross has launched a domestic appeal for cash donations and has called on people to donate blood to supply the hospital network.

With aerial and land assessments of the damage now complete, emergency response units are set to be deployed to affected areas with food, generators, field hospitals and mobilised water units. Communications and electricity are slowly being restored and heavy machinery is now clearing debris.

The International Red Cross have activated a website to help thousands of people within the country and abroad to restore contact with their loved ones by allowing people to register the names of relatives with whom they want to restore contact at www.icrc.org/familylinks

This week New Zealand Red Cross is holding its SEE RED Annual Appeal, where a portion of funds raised will be used to help fund international disaster recovery and response in countries such as Chile, Haiti and the Cook Islands. To make a donation to the Annual Appeal, click here.

To make a donation to the New Zealand Red Cross Chilean Earthquake Response Fund, click here.

You can follow Chilean Red Cross on Twitter (in Spanish): http://twitter.com/CruzRojainforma or visit www.cruzroja.cl

You can follow the Federation on Twitter (in English): http://twitter.com/federation

Chilean Red Cross has appealed to youth volunteers to help with the relief effort. To follow the Red Cross youth blog (in Spanish): http://crjchile.blogspot.com/

ENDS

© Scoop Media